Needle-threader.



M. GEKNECHTEL.

NEEDLE THREADER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, I914.

1,170,278. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

/9 f 7 imoeulioz y F /22/ Mfiffiwa/zie kg arm/" MARY GASKELL KNECHTEL,or HANOVER, ONTARIO, CANADA.

NEEDLE-THREADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 1, 191e,

Application filed November 28, 1914. Serial No. 874,444.

To all ichom it may concern: Be it known that I, MARY GAsKELL KNncn'rEL,a citizen of Canada, residing at.

Hanover, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Needle-Threaders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to needle threaders, and it has particularreference to an improved device for threading sewing machine needles.

One object of the invention is to combine in a single utensil aplurality of threading blades of various dimensions adapted to be usedin connection with fine and coarse needles.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device combining ahandle, a pluralitv of threading blades pivotally connected therewithand a casing within which the blades may be folded, said casing being soconstructed as to adapt it for operation conjointlv with any one of theblades.

lVith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claim.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaim may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a'perspective view showing the improveddevice arranged in operative position in relation to a sewing machineneedle. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of the handle and aplurality of blades pivotally connected therewith. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the casing which cooperates with one of the bladesin the act of threading a needle. Fig. 4' is a plan view partly insection, showing the device with one of the threading blades projectedthrough the eye of the needle inthread-engaging position. Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the blade retracted through the needle eye throughwhich the thread has been passed. Fig. 6 is a side view, enlarged, of aportion of one of the threading blades.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of refer- A handle is provided which may be formed in asimple and inexpensive manner of a piece of spring wire, the same beingbent to form a loop 16 and limbs 17, the latter being terminallyflattened and connected together by a pivot member 18 on which aplurality of threading blades 19 are pivoted, each of said bladesconsisting of, a

thin flat blade of steel terminally providedwith a sharp point 20 andhaving in the edge thereof near said point a notch 21 forming athread-engaging hook 22. These blades are of various degrees of finenessso that they will be adapted for fine and coarse needles. The blades maybe folded so as to lie between the limbs 17 when the device is not inuse.

23 designates a sheath or casing made preferably of sheet metal and ofelongated tapering shape, to accommodate the limbs of the handle portion15, together with the blades lying between the limbs. The handle portionmaybe inserted into the sheath lengthwise from the upper end thereof.The length of the sheath exceeds the length of the limbs 17, and saidsheath is provided at its lower end with an aperture 24: and with aprojecting lip 25 having a notch 26.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the blades 19 are foldcdbetween the limbs of the handle member and the latter is inserted intothe sheath, the blades will be completely protected. When it is desiredto thread a needle the handle is withdrawn from the sheath. and theproper blade having been selected, said blade is folded outward from thehandle and inserted into the sheath, where said blade may now be pro.jected through the aperture 24. The blade,

however, 1s not immediately projected through the aperture, but thesheath is placed in juxtaposition to the needle, the

latter being shown at B, said needle being engaged by the notch 26 inthe lip 25. This enables the sheath to be guided upon the needle untilthe needle eye is encountered by the point of the threading blade, whichlatter is lightlv rojected through the aper-- ture 24:, permitting thethread to be engaged with the hook 22. The blade is now retractedthrough the needle eye, carrying the thread through the eye, and thuscom- 10 ing a thread-engaging hook, and a handle with which said bladeis pivotally connected and whereby it may be projected through theaperture in the sheath.

Intestimonv whereof I afliX-Iny signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY GASKELL KNECHTEL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM ELLIOTT VVILsoN, W'I'LLIAM RUTTLE.

Copies of this vpatent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the ",Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

